Recently, I hosted my kid's Super Mario themed birthday party. In line with the theme, I served up brigadieros, the Brazilian chocolate truffles made with condensed milk. These super easy chocolate delights are made with condensed milk, butter and cocoa, and select toppings of choice.

Ingredients

1 can of condensed milk

25g butter

1/3 cup of cocoa

Crushed biscuits

Sprinkles​

Method

Combine condensed milk, butter and cocoa in a heavy-based saucepan, for example an enamel cook wear.

Stir caramel mixture constantly over low-medium heat for 12-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens and begins to separate from the sides of the pot.

Remove from heat.

Transfer to a heat proof bowl or ceramic bowl, such as a pyrex and set aside for 30 mins in fridge before rolling. Otherwise, for better results, refrigerate overnight.

To form truffles, use a melon baller tool to scoop and form into balls. Roll balls in desired coating. In the above I used chocolate ripple biscuits and confetti sprinkles.

Refrigerate for 1 hr or overnight, and allow to come to room temperature (30 mins) before serving..

This dish was initially inspired by a colleague after a conversation about week night menu items. Broccoli chilli pasta is a staple during week nights as it's a quick, easy and nutritious meal to prepare. In addition, it's also the perfect accompaniment to grilled and baked meat.

It should be noted, when preparing this dish to be careful not to over cook the broccoli as it turns mushy and smells like 'fart' (according to my toddler). After much trial and error in perfecting this dish, 5-6 minutes is the ideal cooking time, in boiling water, for broccoli to help preserve the crisp, green, mild and fresh taste. NB to save time, I usually cook the pasta to al dente (~8-9 minutes) and add the broccoli to the cooking pasta around the 4 minute mark so that the broccoli and pasta cook at the same time, and immediately drain to avoid overcooking and mushiness.

This dish is simply delicious as the heat from the chilli, crispness of the broccoli and freshness and bite from the parmasan blend together nicely on the palette. Enjoy with a chilled crisp white wine.

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli

2-3 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup dried chilli flakes

1/3 cup EVOO

Pasta

Salt

Pepper

Grated parmasan

Method

Mince garlic cloves and combine with chilli flakes and olive oil. For more intense flavor, prepare oil mixture overnight and allow to sit in a sealed container overnight. NB, for less heat, reduce the chilli flakes added.

Trim broccoli florets and set aside. Tip: kitchen scissors are perfect for this purpose.

Cook pasta according to instructions until al dente.

Heat oil mixture on low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic and chilli flakes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Cook broccoli florets in salted water for 5-6 minutes or until they become bright green in colour.

It's been three weeks since I gave birth to our second child and I'm back in full swing enjoying the 'forbidden' foods that were not recommended during the pregnancy. One of the beverages I missed most was tea. As an avid tea drinker (average of 6-8 cups a day), I missed my hot and cold brews dearly.

Recently, I read about and discovered Big T NYC Cold Brew Tea, which was founded by Theresa Krier and inspired by her work at New York Fashion Week. Theresa noted there was a real need for a no-bloat calorie-free beverage that could help people stay beautiful, hydrated and focused in any situation. By combining her love of tea and need to differentiate from the plethora of beverages, she set out to create delicious and premium tea combining artistry and unique flavors. These gourmet loose leaf teas ($11.50) feature organic, premium Fair Trade ingredients that are combined create distinct flavor profiles. In addition, each of the three flavours is purported to deliver wellness benefits that range from promoting glowing skin, uplifting mood, and comfort.

White tea plays well with flavoring ingredients and refreshes the palette without a lingering after taste.

I''m a huge fan of white tea as it's very refreshing, subtle and doesn't overpower the palette after the fifth cup in a day. In addition, the best quality of white tea is that it plays well with flavoring ingredients.

Naturally, I reached for Tell-Tale Glow. After sipping on Tell-Tale Glow, a white tea blended with superfruits, rose and florals for a hit of vitamin C and power antioxidants, I've become addicted. The tea tastes refreshingly fruity with a touch of sweetness that's subtle. With a touch of coconut milk, the cold brew is transformed into an indulgent breakfast drink. Especially over ice, Tell-Tale Glow is the perfect summer refreshment and post-workout drink. I can't speak to the skin wellness benefits per se, but I definitely found the tea tasty and uplifting, especially when brewed cold. When enjoyed hot, the tea's flavor and fragrance is intensified.

Quiches are the perfect way to use up left over veggies and amp up your nutritional needs in a single dish. The staple French cuisine is also ideal for brown bag lunches.

Growing up in Australia, quiches, large and mini versions, were always present at parties and part of the weekly menu rotation - especially during my university days where it would last for a few dinners and lunch. Now that I have toddler, I've found that quiche is the answer to cramming veggies, super veggies and protein down my little one's throat (unfortunately my tot doesn't like red sauce pastas).

Chop baby kale, tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes in the recipe), and bacon.

Dry fry bacon with shallots until crisp.

Beat eggs, combine cheeses and add salt and pepper until a uniform creamy mixture is achieved.

Add chopped kale, tomato and bacon and combine.

Place mixture into pastry lined tin.

Bake for 45 mins, wait 10 mins before removing from pan.

Serve with a side of salad or fries. Enjoy hot or cold.

]]>Wed, 24 Jun 2015 13:23:38 GMThttps://theinformedmakeupmaven.weebly.com/food/something-sweet-badass-browniesI'm not the most talented pastry chef but I like to occasionally dabble making sweets for fun. Meals are more my thing. Here's a recipe I've significantly modified from taste.com.au recipe for kicks and produced sinfully indulgent brownies .

Method1. Grease and line the base of a 20cm square pan or set up cup cake cases in pans. The latter offers better portion control and easy to pack for lunches

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350 deg F (for my Yankee counterparts).

3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, then set aside to cool

4. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale (use an electric mixer). Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, stirring, until just combined (use a wooden spoon for this step). Sift the flour and cocoa, then fold into the egg mixture. Fold in the chocolate and chocolate/nuts,

5. Pour or spoon into cake pan.cup cake cases and bake for 17-18 minutes (gooey and moist - can be baked up to 25 mins depending on your prefs). Leave to cool in the pan, then cut into squares to serve.

These brownies are best served with a strong cup or black tea to offset the mega sweetness.

The much favorite Italian classic, Chicken Parm, is a staple on pub menus, Italian restaurants and potlucks globally. This moorish dish and variations of, satisfy young and old as it can be dressed up or down. As a family menu item, it's handy for using up any left over pasta sauce and fresh mozzarella, while any leftovers make a perfect brown bag lunch reincarnated as a sandwich.

Here's a simple and lean recipe that will jazz up your week night menu.

]]>Wed, 10 Jun 2015 15:41:17 GMThttps://theinformedmakeupmaven.weebly.com/food/summer-drink-iced-miloIced Milo is a popular beverage sold throughout Malaysia and Singapore. This delicious chocolate drink is a cinch to make at home and perfect any time of day or as an alternative to iced coffee and tea in the summer time. It's lighter than a traditional iced chocolate and milkshake, and caffeine-free.

Milo is available online and at Asian, Spanish and most ethnic grocers in the US.

Cous cous is a staple grain we have in our pantry. It's the perfect base for a quick unplanned meal, and as a substitute for rice and pasta. One of the favorite dishes in our household is Spicy cous cous with Spicy German Andouille sausage (from Schaller & Weber), the perfect quick comfort food you can enjoy any time. In fact, it tastes better the day after as the spiciness really infuses through the cous cous. Simply serve with a dash of grated parmasan or a dollop of full cream greek yoghurt.

Cook Israeli cous cous according to instructions but replace water with chicken stock, add pinch of rosemary, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon of EVOO. Once cooked, fluff with 1 tablespoon of chilli flakes (more if you so desire) and set aside.